Rotary circuit-breaker.



S. T. HUTTON. ROTARY CIRUUIT BREAKER. APPLIUATION FILED AUG.19. 1010.

988,571 Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

2 BHEBTS-SHEET 1.

S. T. HUTTON. ROTARY CIRCUIT BREAKER. APPLIOATION 11.21) AUG.19, 1910.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

2 SHEETS-[SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.

SAMUEL T. HUTTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ROTARY CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL T. HU'rToN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Circuit-Breakers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in rotary circuit breakers andconsists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a vertical section through the improvedrotary circuit breaker. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 isa horizontal section through Fig. 1 on the line 3-3 thereof. Fig. 4 is atop plan view of the carrier for the rigid terminal. Fig. 5 is a similartop plan view of a modification of the same.

The rotary circuit breaker is supported on a base A.

B is a rotary cylindric metallic vessel which is adapted to contain themercury or other conducting fluid forming one terminal of the circuit.Said vessel is provided with a conical bottom C having downwardlyconverging Walls B which contains the mercury when the vessel isstationary and with an annular recess C above said bottom and of greaterdiameter than the greatest dis tance separating the walls B thereof,into which recess the mercury is adapted to be drawn by centrifugalforce due to the rapid rotation of the vessel B when in operation. Thevessel B is closed by a cylindrical flanged cap D, the flange d of whichis bolted to an annular flange 5 formed at the up per edge of thevessel. Said cap is provided with a centrally disposed long bearing Erigidly connected to the walls of said cylin dric cap by means of aconical web a. In said bearing is located a long journal con sisting ofa metallic sleeve F surrounding a rod F of insulating material, such asfiber, which is rigidly secured in any convenient manner to the outerend of an arm G which projects above the vessel and which forms part ofa vertical standard G bolted to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 19, 1910.

- whirling Patented Apr. 4, 1911. Serial No. 578,030.

base A. To the outer end of said arm G is secured a removable strap GThe arm and strap have abutting ears 9 which are secured together bybolts.

In the drawings, the upper end of the fiber rod F is screw-threaded, asshown at f, to receive screw-threaded washers f f of fiber or othersuitable insulating material which are located respectively above andbelow the arm G. A flat metallic disk F is secured to the upper washer7. The lower end of the vessel is mounted in ballbearings by means of acone a, balls a and cup cf, the latter secured to the base A. A pulley Fis keyed to the upper end of the bearing F and is adapted to be drivenby a pulley G keyed to a driving shaft G which is journaled in thestandard G J is a disk of fiber or other suitable insulating materialwhich is drilled radially to receive two or more radially disposed rodsj constituting the rigid terminal of the interrupter. Said rods projectbeyond the periphery of the disk at theirouter ends and at their innerends are screw-threaded into the cylindric wall of an inverted cup Kwhich is suspended by a ball-bearing connection on a stud L. Said studhas a screwthreaded connection with a short arm Z, the opposite end ofwhich is rigidly connected to the lower end of a metallic conducting rodM which is eccentrically and rotatively mounted in the fiber rod F Therod lVI, the arm Z, the stud L, the inverted cup J and the radiallyextending rods j are all of conducting material.

As the Vessel B is rapidly rotated the mercury or other conducting fluidis drawn up into the channel C The disk is adjusted to project slightlyinto the mercury when in this position, so that as the vessel is rapidlyWhirled about, carrying the mercury with it, the disk, by its engagementin the mer cury is caused to rotate upon its axis and in} its rotationto periodically, and with great; rapidity, bring first one of the rods7', and then the next into and out of engagement with said mercury. Byreason of the rapid of the vessel the oil used for lubricating purposeswhich falls into the mercury cup, remains on the surface of the mercury,the two liquids being always maintained in separate layers bycentrifugal force. This is also true of the insulating oil such askerosene, alcohol, or other similar liquids with which the mercury ispreferably usually covered for purposes of insula'tion.

The rod M projects at its upper end above the disk F and is therescrew-threaded through a bar m, carrying a bii'iding post at. A lockingnut m normally locks said rod against rotation. An adjusting pin m issecured to the upper end of said rod for adj usting the position of thedisk J with refcrence to the annular recess C P is a vertical oilpassage extending from the upper end of the fiber rod F to a radialpassage p which extends through the sleeve F and supplies oil to thelong bearing E. An oil cup P is connected to said oil passage.Electrical connection with the mercury in the rotative vessel B isestablished by means of a brush Q, secured to the standard G in positionto engage the outer surface of said vessel.

If desired, as where a more rapid interruption is required, the numberof radial rods carried by the disk J may be in creased ;as, for example,in Fig. 5, where three rods are shown, said rods being separated byequal angles. To insure the instant repulsion of the projecting end ofthe rod j from the mercury after its immersion therein, I prefer toprovide notches R in the disk edge to the rear of the rod, which areengaged by the rapidly whirling mercury, to give the rotating disk anadditional impetus after the rod end has entered the mercury.

I claim as my invention 1. A rotary circuit breaker embracing a rotarymetallic vessel for containing a conducting liquid provided with abottom having downwardly converging walls and an annular channel locatedabove said walls, a rotative disk of insulating material eccentricallymounted within said vessel .with one edge projecting into said channel,a rigid terminal carried by said disk and projecting beyond the edgethereof, and conducting means projecting into said vessel and insulatedtherefrom electrically connected to the said rigid terminal.

2. A rotary circuit breaker embracing a rotary metallic vessel forcontaining a conducting fluid provided with a bottom having downwardlyconverging walls and an annular channel located above said walls, arotative disk of insulating material eccentrically mounted within saidvessel with one edge projecting into said channel, a plurality of rigidterminals carried by said disk and projecting beyond the edge thereof,and conducting means projecting into said vessel and insulated therefromelectrically connected to said rigid terminals.

3. A rotary circuit breaker embracing a rotary metallic vessel forcontaining a conducting fluid provided with a bottom having downwardlyconverging walls and an annular channel located above said walls, aconductor rod projecting into said vessel and insulated therefrom, afreely rotative disk of insulating material carried by said conductingrod, and one or more radial, rigid terminals carried by said disk andelectrically connected at their inner ends to said conducting rod, saidrigid terminals projecting beyond the edge of said disks.

4;. A rotary circuit breaker embracing a rotary metallic vesselcontaining a conducting fluid provided with a bottom having downwardlyconverging walls and an annular channel located above said walls, a baseupon which said rotary vessel is rotatively mounted, a journal bearingfor the upper end of said vessel embracing a tubular bearing rigidlyconnected with said vessel and a journal projecting into said vessel, aconducting rod eccentrically mounted in said journal and insulatedtherefrom, a freely rotative disk carried by said conductor rod,projecting at one edge into said channel, and radial, rigid terminalrods carried by said disk, said rigid terminals projecting at theirouter ends beyond the edge of said disk and at their inner ends beingelectrically connected with said conductor rod.

5. A rotary circuit breaker embracing a rotary metallic vesselcontaining a conducting fluid provided with a bottom having downwardlyconverging walls and an annular channel located above said walls, a baseupon which said rotary vessel is rotatively mounted, a bearing for theupper end of said vessel embracing a tubular bearing rigidly connectedwith said vessel and a journal proj ecting into said vessel, aconducting rod eccentrically mounted in said ournal and insulatedtherefrom, said rod being rotatively mounted in said journal, a barsecured to the lower end of said rod, a freely rotative disk carried bysaid bar, projecting at one edge into said channel, and radial, rigidterminal rods carried by said disk, said rigid terminals project-ing attheir outer ends beyond the edge of said disk and at their inner endsbeing electrically connected with said conductor rod, and means foradjusting the angular position of said rod.

6. A rotary circuit breaker embracing a rotary metallic vessel forcontaining a conducting liquid provided with a bottom having downwardlyconverging walls and an annular channel located above said walls, arotative disk of insulating material eccentrically mounted within saidvessel with one edge projecting into said channel, a rigid terminalcarried by said disk and projecting beyond the edge thereof, said diskhaving a notch in its periphery to the rear of the projecting end ofsaid terminal, and conducting means projecting into said vessel andinsulated therefrom electrically connected to the said rigid terminal.

7. A rotary circuit breaker comprising a rotary metallic vessel forcontaining conducting fiuid provided with a bottom having downwardlyconverging walls and an annular channel located above said walls, arotative disk of insulating material eccentrically mounted Within saidvessel with one edge projecting into said channel, a plurality of rigidterminals carried by said disk and pro jecting beyond the edge thereof,said disk having notches in its periphery to the rear of the projectingends of said terminals, and conducting means projecting into said vesseland insulated therefrom electrically connected to said rigid terminals.

8. A rotary circuit breaker embracing .a rotary metallic vesselcontaining a conducting fluid provided with a bottom having downwardlyconverging walls and an annular channel located above said Walls, a baseupon which said rotary vessel is rotatively mounted, a bearing 'for theupper end of said vessel embracing a tubular bearing rigidly connectedwith said vessel and a journal project-ing into said vessel said journalbeing made of insulating material, an upright standard having ahorizontal arm projecting above said vessel, means for removablysecuring said journal to said arm, including a removable strap and ringsof insulating material secured to said journal above and below said arm,a conducting rod eccentrically mounted in said journal and insulatedtherefrom, said rod being rotatively mounted in said journal, a barsecured to the lower end of said rod, a freely rotative disk carried bysaid bar, projecting at one edge into said channel, and radial, rigidterminal rods carried by said disk, said rigid terminals projecting attheir outer ends beyond the edge of said disk and at their inner endsbeing electrically connected with said conductor rod, and means foradjusting the angular position of said rod.

In testimony, that I claim theforegoing as my invention I affix mysignature in the presence of two Witnesses, this 21st day of June, A. D.1910.

SAMUEL T. HUTTON.

l'vitnesses GEORGE R. lVILKINs, T, H. ALFREDS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

